


An Excercise in Bonding

by thefuckistevvs



Series: The Junker's Guide to the Outback [8]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Boys just being Boys, Cuddling, Fluff sorta, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Trauma, im crying, phantom pains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 16:25:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8585521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefuckistevvs/pseuds/thefuckistevvs
Summary: A storm was coming.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaa hello! Here I come with another fic, heh...  
> This one takes about two months after my other fic, "On How to Build Up Trust". In that one, Junkrat loses his limbs in an attack because Roadhog didn't trust him. This takes place after that so yeah!!
> 
> This was supposed to be fluff but... I'm not... sure what it is now. Self indulgent is what it is, to be honest, haha.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy it!

The clouds were thick against the harsh sun, dark and dangerous. A storm was coming. 

 

Roadhog hit the gas on his motorcycle, knowing that every minute was precious in this situation. He had foolishly believed that they had more time but the clouds got thicker and closer together, already rumbling in the distance. Roadhog groaned, the engine drowning his voice.  
Storms were deadly on the outback, the acid killing any poor bastard that was unlucky enough to venture in the outback. His bike was fast but it wouldn't help if they couldn’t find any damn place to camp, and for some reason it seemed the desert was bare- there were no buildings they could use for shelter. Roadhog's gaze traveled from the road to the sidecar at his side.  
Junkrat was splayed on the sidecar, eyes seemingly focused on the road but Roadhog knew better, the Junker just staring at empty space without paying attention. He was quiet, way too quiet for Roadhog's liking strangely enough. 

Junkrat ran his fingers on top of his arm stump, shuddering a bit at the action. 

About two months have passed since Junkrat had lost his limbs, thanks to Roadhog. It's something he hated to think about but Roadhog had to face it- it was entirely his fault. If he had trusted Junkrat in the beginning the man wouldn't be missing his arm and leg. He would have to carry that weight with him, and Roadhog _hated_ how his stomach went cold whenever he saw the red angry stumps. 

Ever since the event Junkrat had gone silent- different. It was unnatural and Roadhog hated every single second of it. He couldn't even be upset at Junkrat- he probably shouldn't even be in movement at the moment, but Junkrat was probably the man with the biggest bounty on him- they couldn't afford to be still for so long.  
They haven't even had the time to get proper prosthetics for him, the best Roadhog could find was a peg leg with no knee. It was almost useless but at least it was something. The arm however, they couldn't find anything decent for Junkrat's hand. He still didn't know what he was going to do about that one. 

Roadhog couldn't focus on that right now, however. The storm was coming, a dot in the horizon giving Roadhog a semblance of hope as he hit the gas on his chopper. The dot started to take shape, a building that seemed to have an intact ceiling. That would do it. 

 

The clouds were starting to close on them when they arrived at the small building. It was pretty small and abandoned, it seemed like it was a gas station way back; now the building was pretty empty, having been ransacked several years prior. 

Roadhog parked as close as he could from the building, getting off the bike on a huff as he dragged it inside. Didn't need it to get damaged with the rain. Junkrat was still lying on the sidecar, letting himself being dragged around with the chopper. Roadhog didn't complain, mostly because the storm was coming and he couldn't waste time yelling at the kid.  
He finished dragging the chopper inside, Junkrat looking silently around the building. It was pretty ruined, but Roadhog figured it would keep them safe. The problem lied with the windows, or at least the holes where the windows used to be. Roadhog frantically looked around, trying to find anything that they could use to cover the windows. There was a lot of debris around, and Roadhog found sheets of metal under some debris. He dragged them out, the metal oxidized and a bit bent, but it should work. 

A slam caught his attention. Turning his head around he saw Junkrat kneeling on the floor with one leg, his right leg sprawled underneath him as he heaved. He definetely fell , Roadhog could tell from Junkrat's sour expression in his face. He grabbed the sheets and dragged them along with him, approaching Junkrat. 

"'Ere," Junkrat motioned as he gave Roadhog his tool box already knowing what his plan was. Roadhog took it, staring at it for a while and then staring at Junkrat. The man was attempting to stand up, Roadhog offered his huge hand for leverage. Junkrat snarled, slapping the hand away. "I don't need yer bloody help! I can do it meself!" 

Roadhog just stared but didn't press the issue. He still needed to protect the windows; Roadhog took one of the biggest sheets, dumping the others at his feet. He also grabbed one of the hammers and some nails, heading to the farthest window. The sheet seemed to be far bigger than the window itself luckily; with one massive hand he propped the sheet along with the nail, using the hammer to nail it into the wall, steady. With one of the corners done, Roadhog proceeded to the next one, further nailing the sheet into the concrete. 

 

Junkrat was propping himself up in the counter with his good hand, groaning at the difficulty of just standing up. He was still exhausted, not used to the shit peg leg strapped on his thigh. He shouldn't complain, really- he was lucky Roadhog had even gotten him anything at all.  
He felt like shit, staring at Roadhog who was doing his best to protect them from the rain. It made his intestines stir, lucky for him he had more than one hammer. Without thinking he grabbed at the hammer and some nails, putting them in the pocket of his shorts. With his remaining arm he grabbed the sheet at the top of the pile with some difficulty. He grabbed at it, putting it under his armpit as Junkrat very carefully made his way towards the other bare window. It was painful on his leg stump, the skin still slightly raw and not entirely healed, but what was he going to do? He would have to make do with what he had. 

Junkrat snorted, trying to figure out how he would do this. He looked up at Roadhog who probably hadn't noticed him moving. He saw how he used one of his massive hands to place the sheet in place, and the other hammered the nail into the wall. Junkrat stared down at his bandaged stump. That wouldn't work.  
He grabbed another hammer, placing it in his mouth freeing his hand, biting into it to keep it in place. Junkrat placed the sheet against the concrete with his hand, his first instinct being to use his leg to keep it in place. He lifted his right leg to press his foot against the metal- 

The peg leg rasped against the sheet metal. Junkrat stared at it for several seconds, and then to his hand and the sheet underneath it. He swallowed, lowering his peg leg to the ground. Okay, next idea; Junkrat pressed his body against the metal, holding it in place as he grabbed the hammer off his mouth. He cursed under his breath when he realized he didn’t grab any nails. Without thinking, he lifted his left foot to press against the sheet to keep it in place and give him some leverage- 

His right foot- no, his right _peg leg_ slipped underneath him. Junkrat tried to hold into anything and failed, dragging the shit with him as he slipped and slammed painfully against the ground, hammer slamming against the metal loudly. He cursed loudly, ribs aching from scrapping against the corrugated metal sheet. Junkrat rolled into his back, and there was Roadhog staring down at him, mask expressionless. 

"What ya looking at, pig?!" He spat angrily, arm cradling his sore torso. Roadhog just continued to stare at him and Junkrat hated it. He stared down at him with _pity_ , Junkrat didn't need to look at his fucking face to know that the man pitied him. Who wouldn't? He probably looked very pathetic right now. 

To rub salt on the wound, Roadhog had the audacity to offer his hand once again. 

"Fuck off!" Junkrat roared, slapped at the hand as he wriggled in the ground uselessly. "I don't need yer fucking help!" 

Roadhog retreated his hand, grabbing the metal sheet that Junkrat had left in the ground. He stepped over him, placing the metal against the window as he started to hammer. Junkrat rolled into his stomach, brow knotted in anger. "What ya think yer doing?!" 

"Covering the window," Roadhog said in a calm voice as he continued to hammer. "It'll rain soon." 

"No, ya pig bastard-" Junkrat attempted to stand up, failing a couple of times before he managed to prop himself up without help. "I was doing that! I was coverin' up that window!" 

"Not enough time," Roadhog replied softly as he kept on working, Junkrat angrily squirming behind the man. Junkrat was _furious_ , or at least he wanted to be. He wanted to claw at Roadhog, tell him to fuck off because he didn't need any goddamn fucking help, specially from the guy that had crippled him in the first place. 

That's right- it was Roadhog's _fault_. Roadhog didn't trust Junkrat back then and now he was missing an arm and a leg. If Roadhog had listened, if Roadhog had gone to where Junkrat told him to he wouldn't have to walk with a fucking stick strapped to his thigh in a mockery of a peg leg. It was his _fault_. 

He wanted to be furious, to have rage bubbling up inside him, wriggling under his skin, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. Instead of rage something else wriggled at his guts, intensifying with every hit of the hammer. Of course Roadhog didn't trust him- why would he trust him? His memory was garbage, he constantly kicked his owns bombs around, and was generally speaking an idiot. Of course Roadhog wouldn't trust _him_ , the arm and leg was just collateral damage. 

Junkrat's hand ran through his sweaty hair, wobbling towards the center of the room and sitting down uselessly. Guilt clawed at his intestines, not being able to help even covering a fucking window. He used to be good at explosions and running away- maybe it was not as good as being physically strong but he was good at it, damn it- now? Now he couldn't even stand up without help. Roadhog now had to be far more cautious and careful, being his bodyguard and all. His annoying habit of running around screaming had been replaced by not even being able to move without help. He wondered if Roadhog resented him for that. Totally.  
Why did Roadhog even stuck around anymore, anyways? Junkrat was sure he gave him the map to his treasure. His memory was shit, but he knew it- he remembered how much it had hurt to write downt he directions, but he was glad it hurt- it made him remember that it did in fact happen. Roadhog could have just ditched him and went for the treasure. Why didn't he? Why did he stick with Junkrat? 

Roadhog had finished covering the window, dusting his hands from the dost and oxide. 

Why indeed. 

 

Roadhog finished covering the windows just in time; rain started to fall about a minute after. He stepped away from the window, drops of acid managing to reach inside the building. Roadhog stared at the other window, metal still holding in place. The door of the building also seemed to be holding up well against the rain. He snorted contently, making his way towards his bike.  
He spotted Junkrat sitting in the middle of the room, but Roadhog refused to stare at him. He knew the man was probably furious at him, and within good reason. Having seen Junkrat flopping in the floor minutes ago made his eyes sting. 

Roadhog grunted upset, realizing that they didn't have the necessary supplies to make a fire; he attempted to find anything that could be turned into a small flame, but Roadhog came up with nothing. Not even a small piece of paper. Fine. At least they had enough emergency food rations to last them about a week, something Roadhog managed to snatch not too long ago. With any luck the storm would stop the next day, but who knew- he had seen storms that lasted about two days before. 

Roadhog grabbed two of the emergency ration packages, making his way towards Junkrat. He threw one of the packages on the man's lap as he settled down at his side, grunting as he sat. He opened his package, retrieving the disgustingly gross-looking yellow bar from the package. It looked atrocious, but he had eaten bugs before, this probably couldn't be as bad. For a second Roadhog wondered if they were flammable, and if they could make a fire out of them but quickly discarded the idea, not wanting to know how one smelt like when burnt. 

He lifted his mask as he took a bite out of it. 

...It didn't actually taste that bad, if Roadhog had to be honest. 

He finished his ration, staring at Junkrat who was sloppily eating his. Roadhog sighed, the sound of thunder echoing from outside. It would be a long storm, for sure. 

"Wot 'bout the fire?" Junkrat said low. Roadhog stared at the package in his hands, throwing the empty package away. 

"Nothing to make fire from." Roadhog just stared at the floor, focusing on the sound of the rain. 

"Oh," He heard Junkrat say calmly. Next he heard something shuffling and moving, some seconds later Junkrat threw his shitty peg leg in front of Roadhog. He looked to Junkrat, who was massaging his leg stump. "Use tha' fucking thing, then." 

"I'm not burning your leg, 'Rat," Roadhog said matter of fact-ly, not even sure what to feel about the suggestion. 

"Fuck off." 

Roadhog stared at the shitty peg leg. It was almost like just strapping a broom to your thigh- it just was not enough for Junkrat. He needed to figure out where to get actual good prosthetics somewhere, something Junkrat could actually use. Same with his arm, but that one would be far trickier to figure out. 

"We'll find better ones," Roadhog said as he pointed to the peg leg. "for your arm, too." 

"Yah, roight. Ya sure will." Junkrat took a rough bite out of his food ration bar. "Just replace me leg and arm, easy roight? Just like that." 

Roadhog didn't say a thing, he just stared at the windows he covered up, stray water drops falling into the ground away from them, the soft tapping of the rain lulling him, making him forget about the peg leg, making him forget about Junkrat who scooted to a corner of the building, curling into himself to sleep.  
Roadhog sighed, reminding himself that he had, at the moment, no right to be upset. 

 

Junkrat couldn't even stare at Roadhog- he couldn't even think about the man without his chest hurting and throbbing. Roadhog really had no reason to be with him- he had the map. Why didn't he leave? _he had the map_. Junkrat wanted to trust Roadhog, but he couldn't trust a man that for some reason just wouldn't ditch him even though he had what Junkrat had originally hired him for. What did he want? did he take pleasure in seeing him struggle limbless? Did he want to see him pathetic? Was this some sort of sick fantasy for Roadhog? 

Junkrat didn't like it- it felt so inherently _wrong_ that Roadhog hadn't just fucked off leaving him to die. Junkrat wasn't even sure if he had preferred that than having the man just follow him around, with that mask, with those glassy eyes of his.  
He wanted everything to go back to normal. He wanted to be able to trust the man, he wanted to have his limbs back. He wanted Roadhog to leave. He wanted Roadhog to stay. 

Junkrat's head hut, he had no idea what the hell he wanted from Roadhog anymore- he didn't know what he wanted at all. He just wanted to sleep, curling up to himself in the corner, closing his eyes and hoping that the sound of the rain was strong enough to drown his thoughts. 

 

\--- 

 

Roadhog wake up with a shiver, rain still falling outside the building. It must have been the middle of the night, he guessed. The floor was cold, but slightly pleasant to his skin. He was lying on his back, not exactly sure what had woken him up.  
Roadhog heard soft whimpering coming from the corner of the room. Turning around into himself, he saw how Junkrat was clawing at his own skin, at his stumps as he sweated, remaining foot just digging into the wall behind him. Phantom pains, probably. 

Junkrat tossed and whimpered in his sleep, jaw tight as he dog his own face against the ground. Roadhog couldn't stand it anymore- he stood up, making his way towards the smaller Junker, and knelt.  
He remembered one of the doctors had warned him about it, about that pain- his ghost limbs somehow having the possibility of paining him even after destruction. Roadhog didn't understand how that worked, but he followed the indications that the back alley doctor had given him then. 

Roadhog carefully grabbed at the arm stump, massaging it in circles with his calloused fingers. His other hand did the same on his leg stump and at first Junkrat trashed, waking up in a panic until he realized it was Roadhog. He stared at his bodyguard confused, not knowing what was going on. He was sweating cold, face pale. To Roadhog it looked like he had no idea if he should be upset or not. 

 

Junkrat had no idea if he should be upset or not. He only recalled the pain in his sleep, gnawing at his edges, crawling on his missing limbs- how was that possible? Why did the arm and leg that no longer exist just _hurt_?  
Roadhog's touch was gentle and firm, soothing away the pain of his missing parts. Junkrat panted, still on edge even if his limbs felt better. What was Roadhog doing? Why did he _care_? 

"What-" he was surprised at how raspy his voice sounded. "What ya doing?" 

"You were hurting." 

"Roight, but-" he bit his lip harsh. "Why?" 

Roadhog shrugged, continuing with the massage. 

But _why_. 

"What are you playing?!" Junkrat snarled, snatching himself away from Roadhog's touch. He wanted Roadhog to be mad, to be upset, to grab him by the neck and shove him into a wall like he used to do before. Not... Not this. Not him staring at Junkrat calm, _understanding_. "Why ya doin' this?!" 

Junkrat was sweating so much he was shivering- he felt so, so cold. 

Roadhog shrugged. "You're the boss. My job to protect you." 

"No it fucking bloody ain't no more!" Junkrat shrieked. He would have stood up, but he didn't have the limbs to do so, curling into himself away from Roadhog instead, back pressed against the corner of the room. "Ya ain't my bodyguard no more! I gave ya tha' bloody map! Tha' map to the treasure! Fifty-Fifty is now zero-one hundred!" 

Roadhog just continued to stare, still. Junkrat normally was really good at telling what the man was thinking and feeling, but this time he just couldn't read him, he didn't know what the hell was going through that head of his. 

"Do ya get off it? Huh? Do ya get off being good to the cripple?" Junkrat words just kept spewing from his mouth without thinking. "Or do ya just enjoy me being miserable? Do ya just wanna see how fucking pathetic I am?!" Junkrat felt his fingers crack as he gripped at the floor, attempting to find leverage, attempting to grab to anything. "Why are you still 'ere?!" 

Finally, just finally Roadhog moved, shrugging as he stared at Junkrat. 

"It's my fault. That this happened. Can't leave ya like this." 

It took a while for Junkrat to process Roadhog's words. Not because he didn't understand them, but because it was so out of reality to what he believed Roadhog _was_. 

 

Roadhog? Feeling _guilt_? 

 

Junkrat wanted to press the issue- he really did. He wanted to ask about it, he wanted to make sure he heard right, he wanted to question how come Roadhog, the enforcer of the outback had cared for Junkrat so much to the point of feeling guilt.  
He slumped against the wall, so many things that he wanted to ask but couldn't bring himself to. He just couldn't, something in his belly clawing at him to not say a word. That maybe he needs to believe that things were okay, and that maybe he could really trust Roadhog.  
He didn't know if he was ready for that. 

 

Roadhog saw how Junkrat's face softened, slumping against the wall tiredly. He seemed to be having an internal fight, most likely sparked by Roadhog's own words. He let him- he let him think it out, he let Junkrat just swim in his words.  
For some reason he wanted Junkrat to trust him, he wanted to know how now he would trust Junkrat but the words died in his throat. Why couldn't he say it? Maybe that was something Mako would do. and Mako he was not.  
Several silent minutes passed, and Roadhog noticed that Junkrat began to shake from the cold, stumps twitchy. Cautious, Roadhog placed a hand on his shoulders, testing the waters. Junkrat just stared at him, still unsure of what to think of him. He felt brave, carefully dragging a shaking tired Junkrat towards himself. His skin was freezing and damp. 

"Cunt," Junkrat softly said as Roadhog craddled him close, still massaging the bandaged stumps. Eventually, Junkrat wrapped his good arm around Roadhog's neck, hiding his face against the man's shoulder. Roadhog kept him balanced with one hand, the other rubbing circles on the middle of his back. "Fucking hate you. Why can't ya leave. Pig." 

Roadhog just chuckled, feeling the cold skin already starting to warm. Good. 

"When I get fixed up an' shit," Junkrat said against his skin. "Are ya gonna leave?" 

"Do you want me to?" 

It took a while for Junkrat to reply, his arm just holding unto Roadhog tighter, body pressed against his massive stomach. "I dun' know." 

Roadhog nodded, shifting his arms as he would hold Junkrat even closer to himself. "Do you trust me to stay?" 

He felt Junkrat whimper, damp skin of his face burying itself on Roadhog's thick neck. His voice was low, quiet. "Hog, i don't think i can trust ya just yet, mate," he laughed softly, as if he wanted it to be a joke but both of them knew it was not. 

"You got time to figure it out." 

 

Junkrat didn't know much in his life. He knew how to run, he knew how ot make explosives. He didn't know what that feeling in the pit of his stomach was, making him feel small and frail yet good at the same time. As if he was safe forever, being held against Roadhog softly.  
He wanted to trust him. He really, really wanted to. His brain screamed at him so many things, and he wanted all those thoughts to shut up and to just listen. To trust him, to trust Roadhog. It would take time, and that killed him- he was not a patient man. But he would have to- he would take all the time possible to trust Roadhog again. To trust that he would be safe and okay. That they both would be safe and okay. 

He smiled against Roadhog's skin, breathing in his scent. 

"Roight," he breathed out, letting himself be lulled by the bating of Roadhog's heart, and the soft sound of the rain outside. "I got plenty of time."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!  
> [My Tumblr!](http://whatthefuckistevvs.tumblr.com/)  
> [My Twitter!](https://twitter.com/thefuckistevvs)


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